Jadeveon Clowney has been officially ruled out for Sunday's game against Tennessee after missing practice this week.
"He's still trying to work that knee out and trying to get it right, so he will not be with us on Sunday," defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel said Friday.
Clowney's ongoing knee issues began when he suffered an injury in the Texans season opener against Washington and left the game in the second quarter. Following an arthroscopic surgery the next day, the No. 1 overall draft pick missed six games while he rehabbed his knee. Clowney returned for Week 8 against Tennessee but then missed the following game against Philadelphia with the flu.
"I think we've got to continue to manage it and he's got to continue to get treatment on it," head coach Bill O'Brien said. "I think again like I said two weeks ago, part of it is just being unlucky. He's had a year here that's been tough for him as far as injuries go. He had the hernia at the beginning of the year, he had the concussion in the Denver game, he's got the knee he's dealing with for all of the year.
"He's played some. Sometimes he hasn't been able to play. I think we've got to continue to manage it and communicate with him as to how he feels and just stay on that road right now."
Clowney did play in three of the Texans last four games and started last week against Cincinnati. O'Brien and Crennel will rely on the Texans trainers and medical staff to determine when and if the outside linebacker can return for the remainder of the season.
"We have to depend on the medical department in that area so that they can kind of let us know what's going on and what we need to think about," Crennel said. "The kid wants to play and he enjoys being out there. Just seems like when he does go out there that he has a flare up, and then we've got to get it settled down again. We've still got a few more games to play, so we'll see if it can get better. If he can, chances are that we'll put him back out there."
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